Kun Yan Zhu

Dr. Zhu’s teaching program at Kansas State University includes three courses: ENTOM 620 Insecticides: Properties and Laws, ENTOM 830 Molecular Entomology, and ENTOM 857 Toxicology of Insecticides. His teaching responsibility for ENTOM 620 was transferred to Dr. Kris Silver in 2016. He has therefore taught ENTOM 830 since 2002 and ENTOM 857 since 1997, offering these graduate courses regularly in alternating years. He has also contributed guest lectures to courses in Economic Entomology, Insect Pest Management, Disease-Vector Biology, Insect Physiology, Insect Biochemistry, and Professional Development in Entomology and Related Sciences.

ENTOM 830 Molecular Entomology covers the application of molecular approaches to fundamental and applied problems in entomology, including insect systematics, insect genomics, marker-assisted selection, RNAi-based pest management, CRISPR-Cas9 technology, insecticide resistance, insect transgenesis, and risk assessment of genetically modified organisms. ENTOM 857 Toxicology of Insecticides provides advanced instruction in synthetic and naturally occurring insecticides, with emphasis on their distribution and elimination, metabolism, mechanisms of action, resistance mechanisms, new insecticide discovery, and emerging approaches to insect control. The course also includes a laboratory component that provides students with hands-on experience in experimental techniques used in insect toxicology.

His teaching philosophy centers on engaging students in meaningful learning and helping them develop the knowledge, enthusiasm, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills needed for research and professional careers. He establishes clear learning objectives and designs course materials to accommodate students with diverse academic backgrounds and experiences. He emphasizes active learning through scientific literature analysis, hands-on laboratory exercises, hypothesis development, experimental design, scientific writing, presentations, and discussion. These activities guide students through identifying important scientific questions, developing testable hypotheses, selecting appropriate methodologies, analyzing data, and drawing scientifically sound conclusions.